New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-04-01
CENSUPED BY HIS INDORSERS.

The report of n committee OF the National
| Civil Service Reform League, appointed ycU
AGO to consider the conduct Of the Admins
| tratior. needs to 10 read with recollection OF
the personal history of the signcrs Mcssrs
| Curtis and Schurz. and other members of the
committee made themselves conspicuous in
indorsing Mr. Cleveland as n pure rcformcr
They thought that they. as professional re-
formers themselves, ought to know rcformcr
when they saw him. Relying upon their in
dorscmcnt some persons voted for him. Now
these indorscrs are called upon to state wheth-
or the President proves to he the man they
said he was 1t is hardly to bc expected that
report under such peculiar circumstances
would be unfair or unfriendly.
Tie report states that in tho Post Office De-
partmcnt. within one year and four months
the new appointments were more than 90 per
cent many Of the changes having merely sub
stitutcd offensive rartisans Of one party Tor
offensive partisans OF another" Regarding
| the conduct Of the service in Indiana 1t says:
4Of nncty-two Presidential Offices in Indiana
the former incumtcnts Of cighy-thrcc we're re-
moved and the employees have been almost en-.
tircly changed. OF |. 500 fonrtl-claSs Offices
200 have been changed. and of the remaining
GOO the cmoumcnts so small that the OIL
fees arc not desirable Such facts, the commit
tee thinks. seem 10 show clear violation OF
the moral engagement made with the country
by the Postmaster General" But had the Pres
idcnt himself no responsibility What pro-
| prcty is there in reporting that his skirts arc
clean while he pcrsistcntly retains in Office
Postmaster General who has for two years
openly dsregarlcd the principles OF reform IN
| this fragrant manncrf Or what integrity Is
there in the statement made by the committee
that "thc Department Of State shows sincere
regard for sound principles in public ser
| vice -? Regarding the Interior Department.
| the report ailirns that in nineteen months " ~
| pcr cent OF the Offices had been changed. In
| many instances for the worse. and the conclu-
sion is irresistible that the Indian Bureau has
been managed III the interests OF party. and
not primarily in the interest Of the public ser
vice" But how does the committee excuse
the President. who pcrsisently retains in Of
fec the Secretary Of the Interior who author
ICES. and the Indian Commissioner who COM
mits. these fragrant violations Of his rules z
Tho conccamcnts Of this report arc at least
rs important as its admissions. The commit
tee is careful not to give the prominence
|
the cases in which the President personally de
cidcd against the interests OF reform. after in
ycstication and dclibcration. knowing the Sc
rious charges against the men appointed. and
perfectly aware that their selection could be
urged only for reasons hostile to reform. In
spite of all this. in many cases he has appoint
cd the known tools Of unworthy political man
ayers. Again, the committee carefully ig
norcs tho Presidents obstinate retention In
Office Of persons like Sparks, Atkins, Lamar,
Villas Garland and even Higgins, and others
whose persistent violation of rules and entire
disregard of the principles by which he pro-
fcsscs to be guided must be known TO him.
The omission of these vital points renders the
report of the committee open to ccnsuc by men
who arc sincere friends Of reform. and who are
not under bonds TO regard with favor the con-
duct of the President.